The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has continued advancing against militants in the area of Ayn Tarma east of Damascus. According to pro-government sources, the SAA has liberated 10 more buildings in the direction of the Ayn Tarma roundabout.

Syrian Air Force warplanes carried out 13 air strikes on the positions of Faylaq al-Rahman and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Ayn Tarma and Jobar areas. The SAA killed more than 15 HTS fighters and destroyed a vehicle. Faylaq al-Rahman was able to damage an SAA tank and to destroy a BMP vehicle. The militants claimed that they repelled the SAA push in eastern Damascus.

On Wednesday, Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers struck ISIS targets in Syria with X-101 cruise missiles. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the cruise missile strike destroyed three large arms and ammunition depots, and a terrorist command center near the city of Uqayribat in the province of Hama. The strike was made from a range of about 1,000 kilometers. The Tu-95MS bombers took off from an airfield in Russia.

According to experts, an intense bombing campaign in the Uqayribat area preceedes a large anti-ISIS operation aimed at liberating the whole eastern Hama countryside from ISIS.

The US-led coalition announced that the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have captured 18% of Raqqah city so far. The SDF allegedly advanced in Old Raqqah and took control of the road leading to Saif al-Dawla Mosque in the middle of the city.

According to opposition sources, US service members are participating in the battles alongside SDF members. ISIS claimed that 12 SDF fighters were killed on Wednesday in Sukarat, Souk al-Hal, and Sour Baghdad in eastern and southern Raqqah.

These strikes seem a lot more precise than previous ones… And more massive… Hope Russia and China finally balance world power to keep the peace…

Barba_Papa

Think more like China will let Russia do all the dirty work. That Russia and not China is the big bogey man again in Washington suits Beijing just fine. Easier for them to slip under the American radar in their quest to become the new super power, and I doubt that being (and staying) equals with Russia is what the Chinese are after.

Ma_Laoshi

Yup, that sounds pretty consistent with both the observed facts and my impression of the Chinese mentality. But as a result, the Syria intervention has missed the edge that would have communicated that the world has had enough–preferably by addressing the West in its mother language, i.e., giving them a bloody nose.

As a result, we’re still muddling on same as before, and now China gets to feel the heat in its own backyard with the Korean and S. China Sea (manufactured) crises.

Jesus

Do you think Russia is not able to give US a bloody nose, they have to rely on the Chinese for a joint effort? China is buying s400 and SUK 35 from the Russians.

Ma_Laoshi

Long before it comes to the bloody nose, the geopolitical statements are completely different. Russia is an economy the size of NY State or so; anything Russia does short of nuking the West can and will be dismissed as Putin aggression/paranoia/attention-seeking. We may not like it but that’s the way it works. When the world’s biggest nation and economy (in real terms) pitches in, EVERYTHING changes: suddenly, the West realizes it’s outnumbered.

Yes not only I think Russia can’t give the US a bloody nose, we have all *seen* that they can’t. These things have to do with weapons only to a small degree, and just as much with what you can get away with. Forget about Russia: Iran has plenty of rockets to flatten those shitty US bases in Syria; but they don’t, because they know they can’t get away with it. If it comes to it, they’ll work through deniable proxies, like they did during the original Iraq invasion.

If China is in da house 100%, you could systematically pop some Danish, Jordanian, Belgian etc planes, by accident of course. Before long, the whole pathetic coalition goes limping home.

Jesus

So everything is done by accident even with China on board. I do not buy that, Russia can respond to US agression, and raise the threshold for the neocons….if they are willing to go there. In the type of modern war of today, the size of the economy is somewhat irrelevant, because wars will be short in duration and devastating. Why don’t you look at the US procurements for 2016 with a defense budget of 600 billion plus? War is like chess, conventional war that is, it is not what you can get away with, it is the moves you make to win the war. Within 5 years Russia will have a portfolio of hypersonic highly accurate conventional weapons that can hit US infrastructure with impunity. It is not what you can get away with, it is the damage one can inflict on the opponent at the conventional leve.

Ma_Laoshi

You emphasize “will”, which is fine by me; it’s another way of emphasizing that this is not about weapons, or even military strength, alone. I just think that if RF-CN were seen to stand shoulder to shoulder, there’d be more will on their side and less on the side of their enemies–hell, now they not even called enemies.

Thegr8rambino

Very true :))) but hasn’t war always been like this?

Jesus

Generally speaking wars were fought with specific goals, not what you can get away with. The situation in Syria is unique in the history of warfare since two major powers are indirectly involved with their respective proxies. When Germany invaded Poland, they did not consider it as a sneaky move, a surprise move that prompted England and France to declare war on Germany. Germany was fully aware of the consequences of invading Poland…..they did not try to get away with it. In Syria if Russia and US come to full direct blows, I am sure Russia has looked several moves ahead to know the circumstances it has to deal with; while US neocons look at the immediate situation and froth with their lunatic narrative.

Thegr8rambino

Yes that is the mark of truly intelligent military mind, to look ahead, like grand admiral thrawn in star wars, he reminds me of putin :)))

Virgil Cane

Maybe so, but China won’t get involved.

Solomon Krupacek

no, russia is not able

Jesus

Being a superpower entails your ability to project a presence (economic and military) wherever in the world. China can project its ecomic clout, however, militarily they cannot project beyond South China Sea. Their nuclear arsenal does not have a solid second strike capability.

“the cruise missile strike destroyed three large arms and ammunition depots, and a terrorist command center”

You take out some American and Israeli important types again too?

Thegr8rambino

Hopefully :))

Xanatos

The US , France, and Britain were all paid billions to support regime change in Syria by the Saudis. Former sec of state Hillary Clinton was personally paid $40 million to the nebulous “Clinton global initiative” portion of the Clinton foundation. You didn’t think the Saudis donated to other parts of the charity like “aids prevention” or “girls rights”, did you?

When the us deploys 2,000 marines and another 500 special forces, and contracts anther 5,000 support services to maintain their military bases in Syria -it is all billed to the Saudis.

The Saudi teat has its limits. They’ve burned a fortune on recruiting , training, arming, transporting, and paying foreign fighters on top of buying western support. They also spent billions doing the same in Yemen.

Add to this their own domestic military procurement spree – their military budget has grown bigger than Russia- and the falling oil prices and you will understand their finances are unsustainable.

Their failed attempt to invade Qatar really hurt them because they wanted tho seize Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund. They gave Trump a bribe to support it, which he did, but the Pentagon said no as a war would clearly benefit Iran. Qatar has joined turkey on the casualty list of estranged us allies resulting from incompetent Saudi attempts to overthrow their governments.

The attempt to raise badly needed cash has also led the Saudis to sell ownership of their single greatest source of revenue: state oil giant aramco. That’s the beginning of the end. They want to sell only 10%, but eventually they’ll sell all of it. The more they sell, the less their revenue, they more they have to sell . A vicious cycle ensues.

In 20 years Saudi Arabia will be broke, in civil war, and look as bad as Libya. Foreign nations will invade to protect their ownership of Aramco. A Shiite state will emerge in the east. (15% to 20% of the population is Shiite, despite Saudi census figures that claim the country is 100% Sunni)

The best they can hope for is for the hejaz to break away ( but without any oil) and safeguard the holy places. Central Arabia, Nejd, will be in anarchy with neo-Isis militias.

Ma_Laoshi

At first sight, a dream come true! On second sight, more anti-western terror attacks…

Virgil Cane

inshallah!

Fernwrowan

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Ronald

And the sad thing is they had enough money to turn Saudi Arabia into a really beautiful oasis , a blessing for them , and mankind .

Thegr8rambino

Hahaha yes, you see Saudis are very retarded militarily, I dont know if its a cultural or genetic thing, maybe both, but Arabs have not been the greatest at winning wars recently, however with the exception of the SAA recently they have been given the necessary support, training and encouragement to retake Syria, and hopefully this same tactics they used to win so much can be taught to other friendly pro-iran Arab nations :))) even with all their money still Saudi couldn’t win! Just goes to shown you how SO important it is to have logical quick thinking military brains and the will, resources and support of your people, which the Saudis have none of lmao

EL ZORRO

“The US-led coalition announced that the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have captured 18% of Raqqah city so far”…TRANSLATION…The UNITED SNAKE COALITION announced that their INTERNATIONAL MERCENARY TERRORIST invading Syria with the SUPPORT of the SNAKE COALITION air-force have captured 18% of Raqqa city.

Virgil Cane

Always refreshing to get EL ZORRO’s take, full of capital letters and too many references to snakes. I’d like to see you try and contribute thoughtful analysis.

Thegr8rambino

How about giving some analysis yourself if you think you can do better?